Farewell rote, welcome robot

China has a long tradition of rote learning in its schools, memorization based on repetition geared toward high exam scores. However, many educators and a new generation of parents have acknowledged that this method is outdated.

To counterbalance that, many schools are adopting an educational philosophy that encourages problem-solving skills and collaborative creativity.

One of those involved in driving such changes is the Danish toy company Lego, which now has a wide presence in middle schools in China in the form of robots that are made from its building blocks.